Three ways to initiate and develop commercial relationships.
Say you meet with a customer or client and realize you don't have the skills or resources to take on an assignment for this person. Instead of backing away from the project, think of colleagues or friends who could help out. Here are some surefire ways to advance any business relationship that may have otherwise have fallen back to "let's-keep-in-touch" status.
1. Bring in Expert Help
Diane DiResta, president of DiResta Communications and author of Knockout Presentations: How to Deliver Your Message with Power, Punch, and Pizzazz (Chandler House Press, 1998), believes in the power of expertise. "A friend of mine was just getting started in the consulting business," she recalls. "The only training program she offered at the time was for non-native English speakers. She got a lead on a Fortune 100 technology company that was looking to train its managers on her area of expertise and on presentation skills. The problem was, she didn't offer a course on [presentation skills].
My partner brought a great level of depth to our assessments and added a whole new dimension to the discussion.
"My friend called and said, 'There may be business here for both of us. I want you to work with me on this. Let's meet with this prospect together and find out how we can help.'" DiResta agreed, because her friend "didn't know how to price the deal, since she had no track record. I helped her develop the pricing before we met with the prospect. We also delivered a one-hour demo. We spoke with a training director and a diversity manager about what they were trying to accomplish and how that matched up with our areas of experience. We got the business because we offered solid training in the areas they were looking for.
"This project turned into a major client for my friend," DiResta adds, "and a fun assignment for me. Lesson learned: Use all your resources to close a deal. After all, it beats walking away!"
2. Demonstrate the Right Experience
"Not long ago," says Mitchell Axelrod, "I met with a corporate client to discuss the training and developing of their sales reps and managers." Axelrod is the founder of Axelrod and Associates, a sales and marketing consulting firm. "I learned this client was looking for a way to assess his people's selling and managing strengths and deficits, so the training could focus on developing the skills that would have the biggest impact on performance. I explained that I had a business partner who was an expert in assessment services, and I set an appointment for all of us to meet.
"My partner brought a great level of depth to our assessments and added a whole new dimension to the discussion," Axelrod recalls. "After listening to the prospect's concerns, my partner explained how he could assess the members of the sales group and identify with certainty which skills to develop and implement in the training. We each demonstrated a specific area of expertise--and as a result of this team approach, we doubled the size of the contract! This was definitely a case where the whole was greater than the sum of its parts."
A certain amount of personal change must take place on an internal level in order for a person to take advantage of such an opportunity, Axelrod admits. Far too many people feel uncomfortable saying "I don't know" to a prospective client or customer. When you don't have the information, that's the time to bring in a colleague, associate, or someone else who can provide details about a company resource. If the prospect expresses an interest in something more--or something different--then it's prudent to partner with someone else to satisfy that prospect.
"I believe that effective team selling, like all selling, starts with listening," Axelrod says. "When you listen carefully to what the person is most interested in doing, you build a strong, trusting relationship. When you give people what they want, not what you think they need, you create customers for life."
3. Use a Third-Party Expert
Steve Gilliland is the founder of Performance Plus, a well-known training and development company. "Recently," Gilliland told me, "I worked successfully with my marketing manager on a project. She was able to answer--in much more detail than I ever could have--the questions my prospect had about why we designed our products in the way we did. As a result of that meeting, we got the sale. But this certainly wouldn't have happened if my manager hadn't been with me on that meeting."
So, Gilliland's advice is simple: Before you attempt to finalize a deal, earn the right to do so. You may need a third-party expert to support your position and show exactly how your organization plans to add value. Marketing personnel, designers, merchandisers, engineers, and a variety of other non-salespeople can add perspective that validates the features and benefits of the products or services you are selling.
"With competition increasing and market share at a premium," Gilliland says, "the team selling approach is being implemented by more and more companies today. Strategic sales plans are now being written to include client-vendor alignment from top to bottom, beginning to end. In many of these situations, a third-party expert provides the credibility that makes a deal possible."
Erin Flynn is the assistant editor of Stephan Schiffman's Executive Sales Briefing, a monthly newsletter for sales professionals. She has interviewed many successful authors, business consultants, and sales experts.
